Transport device and method for transporting objects from work station to work station of a production system and production system for the manufacturing of products with a transport device of this type

ABSTRACT

A transport device is provided that includes a rotary object carrier which includes object carrier elements arranged so as to be distributed around the circumference, on which carrier elements objects are arranged which are transported on a circular movement path from work station to work station of a production facility. A production facility for making products is also described as well as to a method for transporting objects from work station to work station of a production facility. The transport device has one or more actuator units assigned to one or more object carrier elements which units can move together with the object carrier elements. The actuator units can be provided with media by a central supply device by way of a rotary feedthrough.

This application is a National Stage Application of PCT/EP2017/068280,filed Jul. 19, 2017, which claims priority to German Patent ApplicationNo. 10 2016 008 949.0, filed Jul. 26, 2016.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a transport device comprising a rotary objectcarrier which comprises object carrier elements that are arranged so asto be distributed around the circumference and on which objects arearranged which are transported on a circular movement path from workstation to work station of a production facility. Furthermore, theinvention relates to a production facility for producing products, inparticular containers filled with a medical product, comprising such atransport device. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method fortransporting objects from work station to work station of a productionfacility.

In production facilities for producing products, rotary tables, whichare also referred to as rotating work tables or rotary indexing tables,are used for transporting the products from work station to workstation. The known rotary indexing tables comprise a circular objectcarrier that can turn about a vertical axis. The object carrier isdriven by a drive unit. During production, the object carrier turns insteps in individual cycles either clockwise or anticlockwise. The workstations are distributed circumferentially around the object carrier.The objects to be processed are positioned on the object carrier in amanner distributed circumferentially. As a result of the object carrierturning, the objects can be transported from work station to workstation. The work stations each perform a work process on the objects,which process may include one or more production steps. The objects canbe arranged on the object carrier in object carrier elements whichreceive one or more objects. The objects can be products to be produced(goods) or workpieces or test objects to be machined.

The known rotary indexing tables have an object carrier on which theobject carrier elements are arranged immovably relative to one another.They are secured circumferentially on the object carrier at predefineddistances. In conjunction with the stationary work stations, the objectcarrier elements are moved into the appropriate position opposite eachwork station purely by the object carrier turning. The object carrierelements have to remain at the stations until the work station hascompleted the work process.

Production facilities generally have work stations having differentprocess times. In the process, the step-by-step turning of the objectcarrier is substantially defined by the duration of the longest process.Since the object carrier remains still during a work process having along process time, and owing to the predefined distances between theobject carrier elements and the step-by-step turning of the objectcarrier through a predefined angle of rotation, a separate work stationis required for processing each object, even for the work processeshaving the short process times. However, said work stations are only inuse for a short time, which entails high investment and running costsand is inefficient. Moreover, as the number of work stations increases,so too does the likelihood that the production facility will break down.Production facilities of this type are characterised by high complexityand a lack of access to the components.

If the production method comprises work processes having differentprocess times, for the above reasons it is an advantage to use atransport device in which the arrangement of the object carrier and theobject carrier elements is not rigid, so that some object carrierelements can remain at work stations having a long process time, whilstother object carrier elements can be transported from work station towork station.

Rotary feedthroughs are known for transferring media, for example fluidsor gases, which have a stationary component and a rotary component. Thestationary component has a media input and the rotary component has amedia output. In the stationary component, an axial channel is formedleading to a radial bore which is sealed off from an annular gap formedin the rotary component. The sealing surfaces of the stationary and therotary component are sealed by means of known sliding or rotary seals.In order to transfer a plurality of fluids, multichannel rotaryfeedthroughs are also known in which a plurality of axial channels areformed in the stationary component, which channels each have a radialbore, a plurality of annular gaps being formed in the rotary component.The multi-channel rotary feedthroughs are characterised, however, byonly a single rotary component.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to improve a production method in whichobjects are transported from work station to work station of aproduction facility. In particular, the object of the invention is toprovide a transport device comprising a rotary object carrier whichallows a flexible configuration of the production process. Anotherobject of the invention is to create a production facility for producingproducts which has a relatively simple construction and allows theflexile configuration of the production process. The object of theinvention is also to specify a method for transporting objects from workstation to work station which allows a flexible configuration of theproduction process.

These objects are achieved according to the invention by the features ofthe independent claims. The dependent claims relate to advantageousembodiments of the invention.

The transport device according to the invention is characterised in thatone or more actuator units are assigned to one object carrier element orto a plurality of object carrier elements, which units can move togetherwith the object carrier element or the object carrier elements.

In this context, object carrier elements are understood to be anyelement on which one or more objects can be set down or arranged. Theobjects can be loose on the object carrier elements or fixed in place onthe object carrier elements.

Actuator units are understood to be all units which can be used toinfluence an object assigned to an object carrier element, or by meansof which measurement values can be recorded, as well as all units whichare used for actuating components which are relevant for controlling theprocess. The actuator units can influence the objects in different waysin order to perform individual process steps or record differentmeasurement values. For example, the influences can be physical and/orchemical. The actuator units can exert force on the objects for example.

Since the actuator units rotate together with the object carrierelements, process steps can be performed on the objects that areassigned to the object carrier elements directly on the object carrierelements. A stationary arrangement of actuators that engage with theobjects from the outside is therefore not required. This makes theentire production process more flexible, simpler, quicker and morerobust.

However, the actuator units that are directly assigned to the objectcarrier elements need to be supplied with media. In this context, mediaincludes both gaseous media, for example compressed air, and fluidmedia, for example medical fluids. Supplying with a medium can also beunderstood to mean an energy supply. In the broader sense, media alsoinclude electrical or electromagnetic signals, in particular controlsignals of a control unit for controlling the actuator units or alsoother devices.

The actuator units can in principle be supplied with media by the mediabeing provided on the object carrier elements. Fluid or gaseous mediacan be provided on the object carrier elements in a reservoir. Controlsignals can also be transmitted by radio. However, there are limits toproviding the media on the object carrier elements.

A preferred embodiment therefore provides a stationary supply device forsupplying the actuator unit or the actuator units with one or moremedia, a media-provision device being provided that is designed suchthat the supply device can provide one or more media to the actuatorunit or the actuator units. In a particularly preferred embodiment, themedia-provision device is designed as a rotary feedthrough by means ofwhich all media can be provided.

The rotary feedthrough according to the invention preferably comprises astationary component and a plurality of components which are rotatableindependently of one another about a common central axis relative to thestationary component and can each comprise one or more media outputs.The stationary component and the rotary components are designed suchthat a media connection is formed between a media input of thestationary component and a media output of a rotary component or aplurality of media inputs of the stationary component and a plurality ofmedia outputs of the rotary components.

The central supply device can be connected to the one or more mediainputs of the rotary feedthrough by one or more supply lines forproviding one or more media. For a power supply, the supply lines arepower lines.

The rotary feedthrough enables the formation of a connection betweenactuator units which are assigned to object carrier elements and can bemoved on a circular movement path on an object carrier or can remain onthe object carrier in a fixed position, and a fixed, central supplydevice, i.e. independent of the movement of the object carrier elements.In this way, the construction of the transport device and the wholeproduction facility can be simplified. The production method can beconfigured in a flexible manner, having actuator units assigned to theobject carrier elements. Furthermore, the programming of the productionfacility is simplified.

According to a preferred embodiment of the rotary feedthrough, eachrotary component of the rotary feedthrough comprises a coupling elementwhich is designed such that the rotary component is coupled to an objectcarrier element. The coupling element can be designed in various ways.The only essential consideration is that the object carrier element,which can move relative to the object carrier, carries with it theassociated rotary component. In a particularly advantageous embodiment,the coupling element is a rod or linkage.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the rotary feedthrough,the stationary component is designed as a cylindrical body and therotary components are designed as a bodies that surround the stationarycomponent, the rotary components being arranged one above the other soas to rotate about the central axis of the stationary component. Thisresults in a compact construction of the rotary feedthrough.

If the actuator units are only supplied with one medium, for examplewith compressed air, the rotary feedthrough can have only one mediainput to which compressed air is supplied centrally. One or more axialchannels can be formed in the stationary component. Each axial channelcan have one or more radial bores assigned to a rotary component. Eachrotary component can have one or more annular gaps which are each sealedoff from for a radial bore in order to transmit the medium.

The rotary components can be of different shapes. A particularly compactconstruction is obtained if the rotary components are designed asannular bodies which can each comprise one or more radial media outputs.

In a preferred embodiment, the rotary feedthrough is arranged such thatthe stationary component is arranged centrally on the object carrier orpenetrates the object carrier in the centre, the rotary components beingarranged at the same level or deeper or higher in relation to the objectcarrier elements. The object carrier elements can therefore be arrangedso as to be distributed around the circumference of the rotarycomponents. As a result, the medium can be provided to the actuatorunits from above or from the side.

The object carrier elements can each comprise one or more actuatorunits, the one or more actuator units being connected to the one or moremedia outputs of a rotary component by means of connection lines inorder to provide one or more media. The connection lines can be flexiblehose lines. However, it is also possible for rigid lines to be providedwhich can simultaneously perform the function of the coupling elements.

The transport device according to the invention is further characterisedin that a dog element and a retaining element are assigned to at leastone object carrier element. The dog element can assume an active state,in which relative movement between the object carrier element and objectcarrier is prevented, and an inactive state, in which relative movementbetween the object carrier element and object carrier is permitted. Thedog element can be moved or switched between these two states. Theretaining element can assume an active state, in which the objectcarrier element is held in place, and an inactive state, in which theobject carrier element is released. The retaining element can be movedor switched between these two states.

The at least one dog element and the at least one retaining element areactuated by means of an actuation unit, hereinafter also referred to asthe first actuator unit. The actuation unit for the dog elements and theretaining elements can have actuating members, by which dog andretaining elements can be moved between the two positions. The actuationunit can for example be an electric motor drive and/or a pneumatic driveand/or a hydraulic drive. Actuator units that can be supplied with mediaby a central supply device are also actuation members of this kind.

The actuation unit is designed such that, in some cycles of thesuccessive cycles, the dog element assumes an active state and theretaining element assumes an inactive state such that the object carrierelement in question is carried along by the object carrier and movedfrom work station to work station. The actuation unit is also designedsuch that, in some cycles of the successive cycles, the dog elementassumes an inactive state and the retaining element assumes an activestate such that the object carrier element remains at a work station.

In a further embodiment, a positive coupling of the two actuationmembers can be provided such that the actuation member of the dogelement is actuated when the actuation member of the retaining elementis not actuated or vice versa, and therefore the associated objectcarrier element is released or locked in place. If such a positivecoupling of the actuation members is provided, it is not necessary tohave two separate media lines, for example compressed air lines, forsupplying the actuation members. Rather, a single compressed air supplyis sufficient. The changeover can be performed only in that compressedair is applied or is not applied to an actuator. It is therefore notpossible for a fault to occur where the object carrier element issimultaneously released or locked. The risk of collision is thusreduced.

In a preferred embodiment, both actuation members, namely the actuationmember of the dog element and the actuation member of the retainingelement, can be formed by a single actuator. To control the objectcarrier element, a positive coupling of the two actuation members canthus be provided such that the actuation member of the dog element isactuated when the actuation member of the retaining element is notactuated or vice versa, and therefore the associated object carrierelement is either released or locked. If such a positive coupling of theactuation members is provided, two separate media lines, for examplecompressed air lines, are not necessary for supplying the actuationmembers, but rather only one media line. In the example of thecompressed air line, the changeover can be performed by means of adouble-acting compressed air cylinder, either just one input of thecompressed air cylinder or just the other input of the compressed aircylinder being connected to a source of compressed air by means of aswitch valve, and the compressed air cylinder thus only actuating theactuation member of the dog element or only the actuation member of theretaining element.

The actuation of the at least one dog element and retaining element bythe actuation unit thus allows the object carrier to move in order totransport objects to a work station that has a short process time whilstan object carrier element remains at a work station having a longprocess time.

If the overall production process having a plurality of work processeshas just one work process that has a long process time, it is sufficientin principle for just one object carrier element to be arranged on theobject carrier so as to be displaceable relative to the object carrierin the direction of the movement path on which the object carrierelements can be transported from work station to work station. Thisobject carrier element can then remain at the work station having thelong process time. If there is just one object carrier element, only onedog element and retaining element is required. If there are two objectcarrier elements, for example, at least two dog elements and retainingelements are required if the two carrier elements are to be controlledindependently of one another.

In a preferred embodiment of the transport device, all the objectcarrier elements can move freely on the object carrier, each objectcarrier element being assigned a dog element and a retaining element. Asa result, all the object carrier elements can be controlledindependently of one another.

A particularly preferred embodiment provides a circular guide path inwhich the object carrier elements are guided so as to be freely movablein relation to the object carrier such that they can be held in place inrelation to a fixed spatial coordinate system. The guide path can havevarious designs. The only important factor is that the object carrierelements can move only on the movement path.

To receive the objects, the object carrier elements can comprisereceiving elements into or onto which the objects can be inserted orplaced, respectively. Therefore, the objects are adequately fixed on theobject carrier elements.

The dog elements and retaining elements can have various designs. Theonly important factor is that the object carrier elements can be fixedadequately. They can be fixed by an interlocking and/or frictionalconnection. The dog elements are preferably designed such that theyestablish an interlocking or frictional connection between a part of theobject carrier element and a part of the object carrier, whereas theretaining elements are designed such that an interlocking or frictionalconnection is established between a part of the object carrier elementand a stationary component.

By means of the control of the drive unit of the object carrier and theactuation of the dog and retaining elements, the object carrierelements, together with the objects, are positioned in the desiredprocessing position opposite each work station and can be moved on fromone work station to another work station.

The transport device according to the invention can be used in differentproduction facilities. In a particularly preferred embodiment, thetransport device according to the invention is used in a productionfacility for producing containers filled with a medical product, inparticular a medicine, and in particular is used in a productionfacility for producing medical solution bags, for example solution bagsfor peritoneal dialysis, acute haemodialysis or the infusion technique.

The method according to the invention for transporting objects from workstation to work station of a production facility comprises the followingwork steps:

arranging a plurality of object carrier elements for placing down one ormore objects on a rotary object carrier, rotating the object carrier insuccessive cycles such that the object carrier elements are transportedfrom work station to work station on a circular movement path,

wherein

at least one object carrier element of the plurality of object carrierelements is arranged on the object carrier so as to be displaceablerelative to the object carrier in the direction of the circular movementpath,

in individual cycles of the successive cycles, a relative movement ofthe at least one object carrier element and the object carrier isprevented, so that the at least one object carrier element is carriedalong by the object carrier and moved from work station to work station,andin individual cycles of the successive cycles, a relative movement ofthe at least one object carrier element and the object carrier ispermitted and the at least one object carrier element is held securelyso that the at least one carrier element remains at a work station.

The method according to the invention is characterised in that actuatorunits which are arranged on the object carrier elements and can movetogether with the object carrier elements are actuated, one or moreactuator units being supplied with one or more media.

The actuator units on the object carrier elements are preferablyprovided with the medium or the media by means of a rotary feedthrough.

In an embodiment of the invention, the actuator unit is designed as aclamping device that comprises clamping jaws for clamping a part of acontainer, in particular a bag for receiving a medical fluid. Theclamping device can comprise a pneumatic drive device for actuating theclamping jaws. However, a hydraulic or an electric motor drive devicecan also be provided.

The production facility according to the invention for producingproducts comprises the transport device according to the invention fortransporting objects, and a plurality of work stations, each workstation being designed to carry out a work process, which includes atleast one work step, on at least one product arranged on an objectcarrier element. The actuator units of the transport device can replaceindividual work stations completely or in part.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention is described in more detail in thefollowing with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a highly simplified schematic plan view of an embodiment of atransport device which does not comprise the actuator units that areassigned to the object carrier elements and supplied with media from acentral supply device,

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the transport device of FIG. 2,

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the first work step of a method forproducing products using the transport device,

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of the second work step of theproduction method,

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of the third work step of the method,

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of the fourth work step of the method,

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of the fifth work step of the method,

FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of a small cycle of the sixth work stepof the method,

FIG. 9 is a schematic plan view of a large cycle of the sixth work stepof the method,

FIG. 10 is a highly simplified schematic view of the transport deviceaccording to the invention which comprises the actuator units that areassigned to the object carrier elements and supplied with media from acentral supply device,

FIG. 11 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the rotaryfeedthrough of the transport device according to the invention,

FIG. 12 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of a furtherembodiment of the rotary feedthrough, and

FIG. 13 is a schematic view of an embodiment of an actuator unit of thetransport device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A transport device which does not comprise additional actuator unitsthat are assigned to the object carrier elements and supplied with mediafrom a central supply device is described in the following withreference to FIGS. 1 to 10. The transport device is the subject matterof the not yet published German patent application DE 10 2016 004 335.0.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show in a highly simplified schematic view an embodimentof the transport device in plan view (FIG. 1) and side view (FIG. 2).The figures only show the components of the transport device that areessential to the invention. The figures are merely for illustrativepurposes. The size ratios between the individual components do notnecessarily correspond to the actual ratios.

The transport device is in the form of a rotary indexing table. Therotary indexing table 1 comprises a housing 2 that receives an objectcarrier 3 that can turn about a vertical central axis 4 of a drive unit5. In FIGS. 3 to 9, the vertical central axis 4 is perpendicular to theimage plane. The drive unit 5 turns the object carrier 3 in steps insuccessive cycles through a fixed angle of rotation.

The object carrier 3 receives a plurality of object carrier elements. Inthe present embodiment, the object carrier 3 receives the object carrierelements 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4. The object carrier elements 6 each comprisea plurality of receiving elements 7. In the present embodiment, theobject carrier elements 6 each comprise five receiving elements 7.1,7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5. Each receiving element can receive one object.However, each object carrier element 6 can also comprise just onereceiving element, it also being possible for a receiving element 7 toalso receive a plurality of objects. The receiving elements can, forexample, be trays, stands, holders or the like.

The object carrier elements 6 are distributed circumferentially on theobject carrier 3. Each element delineates the shape of a segment of acircle. When the object carrier turns, for example clockwise, asindicated by an arrow, the carrier elements 6 can move on a circularmovement path 8. However, the object carrier elements 6 are not rigidlyconnected to the object carrier 3, but rather are displaceably guided inthe direction of the circular path 8 in a guide 9, which is only shownschematically. Therefore, if the object carrier elements 6 are held inplace externally, the object carrier 3 can turn without the objectcarrier elements being carried along therewith.

In the present embodiment, the individual carrier elements 6 each have acircumferential angle of 360°/5=72°. Since just four object carrierelements 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4 are provided, one portion of the circularmovement path 8 remains empty. This gap allows the object carrierelements 6 to be displaced relative to the object carrier 3 without theobject carrier elements obstructing one another. The number of objectcarrier elements 6 and the circumferential angle of the object carrierelements 6 are determined by the arrangement and number of workstations.

In the present embodiment, which is described in detail below withreference to FIGS. 3 to 9, the transport device is a part of aproduction facility that has four work stations. The work stations arenot shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. They are distributed circumferentiallyaround the object carrier 3 of the rotary indexing table 1.

The transport device also has a plurality of dog elements. In thepresent embodiment, all the object carrier elements 6 are displaceablyguided. Therefore, each object carrier element 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4 isassigned a dog element 10. FIG. 2 only shows three dog elements 10.1,10.2, 10.3. All the dog elements are actuated by an actuation unit, alsoreferred to as a first actuator unit, which comprises actuation members12 assigned to the individual dog elements. In FIGS. 1 and 2, theactuation unit in the form of a device comprising the actuation members12 is denoted by reference sign 11. The actuation members 12 can, forexample, comprise electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic, pneumatic orhydraulic drives.

In the present embodiment, the dog elements 10 are pins that engage inrecesses 13 in the object carrier elements 6. The dog elements 10 can beactuated by the actuation members 12 of the actuation unit 11 in such away that said elements assume a state in which they engage in a recess13 in an object carrier element 6 or are retracted from the recess. As aresult, the object carrier elements 6 can be secured on the objectcarrier 3. The actuation members 12 can be actuated independently of oneanother by the actuation unit 11. The object carrier elements 6 can belocked independently of one another.

In addition, the transport device comprises a plurality of retainingelements 14. In the present embodiment, each object carrier element 6 isassigned a retaining element 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, (14.5). Theretaining elements 14 are actuated by the actuation members 12 of theactuation unit 11. The actuation members 12 for the retaining elementscan, for example, comprise electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic,pneumatic or hydraulic drives. The retaining elements 14 are distributedcircumferentially around the object carrier 3. Unlike the catch elements10, the retaining elements do not move together with the object carrier3, but instead are rigidly connected to the housing 2 of the transportdevice. The retaining elements 14 can, for example, be pressure pistonsthat are displaceable in the longitudinal direction and are pushed ontothe outer circumferential surfaces of the object carrier elements 6 suchthat the object carrier elements are held in place externally.

In addition, the transport device has a control unit 15 for theactuation unit 11. The control unit 15 can be a freely programmablecontrol unit by which the individual actuation members 12 of theactuation unit 11 can be actuated independently of one another atcertain times, such that the dog and retaining elements 10, 14 areactuated.

The control unit 15 is designed such that, in some cycles, the dogelement 10 assigned to one object carrier element 6 assumes an activestate and the retaining element 14 assigned to the object carrierelement assumes an inactive state such that the object carrier element 6is carried along by the object carrier 3 and moved from work station towork station. The control unit 15 is also designed such that, in somecycles, the dog element 10 assigned to the object carrier element 6assumes an inactive state and the retaining element 14 assumes an activestate such that the object carrier element remains at a work station.

FIGS. 3 to 9 show the individual work steps of a method for producing aproduct. In the present embodiment, the production method is a methodfor producing containers filled with a medical product, in particularfor producing bags filled with a medical solution, in particular filmbags for peritoneal dialysis. FIGS. 3 to 9 are merely used to illustratethe basic principle of the method. Therefore, not every method steprequired to produce the product is shown.

The production facility comprises at least one transport devicedescribed with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 3 schematically showsjust the four object carrier elements 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4 of thetransport device (rotary table). In the present embodiment, theproduction facility comprises four work stations A, B, C, D (only shownby way of indication) that are distributed circumferentially around theobject carrier 3. The containers, in particular film bags, are providedas blanks that are not provided with a connection piece, in particular awelded shuttle, and are not filled with the medical product, inparticular a fluid, for example a solution for peritoneal dialysis. Thework station A is a filling station, by which the bags provided with theconnection piece are filled. Filling the bags is a work process having along process time. The process time is considerably longer than theprocess time of the other work stations. The work station B having ashort process time is a work station by which the bag blanks are fittedwith the connection pieces. The work station C is a work station forremoving the bags that have been provided with the connection piece andfilled, and the work station D is a work station for setting down thebag blanks. The work stations B, C, D have a process time that isshorter than the process time of work station A.

The drive unit 5 turns the object carrier 3 in steps clockwise insuccessive short or long cycles. In the present embodiment, the objectcarrier 3 is turned clockwise in a short cycle through 14.4° (360°/5(five carrier elements)/5 (five receiving elements 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4,7.5 per carrier element=14.4°). The dog elements 10 and retainingelements 14 (FIGS. 1 and 2) are not shown in FIGS. 3 to 9.

The described method is distinguished by a combination of single cyclesfor the work stations B, C, D having short process times and multiplecycles for the work station A having the long process time. For thispurpose, the single cycles have to be collected upstream of the workstation A having the long process time and the multiple cycle has to becollected downstream of the work station A having the long process time.The single cycles and the multiple cycle are collected in waiting areasWZ in the direction of rotation (clockwise) upstream and downstream ofthe work station A having the long process time. In the following, theindividual work steps will be described.

FIG. 3 shows the first work step (starting position). The four objectcarrier elements 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4 are arranged such that, in the firstwork step, there are no object carrier elements in the waiting area WZupstream of the work station A having the long process time. The bagblanks are located in the receiving elements 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5 ofthe third and fourth object carrier element 6.3, 6.4. The waiting areaWZ upstream of the work station A having the long process time is emptyand the waiting area WZ downstream of the work station A is full. Thework station A for the filling process having the long process time andthe work stations B, C, D for the work processes having the short worktimes are all in operation. The work station B fits a connection piece,for example a cover cap, to the filled bag located in the fifthreceiving element 7.5 of the second object carrier element 6.2. The workstation C removes the finished bag that is located in the secondreceiving element 7.2 of the second object carrier element 6.2 and hasbeen provided with the connection piece and filled with the solution,and the work station D puts a bag blank in the first receiving element7.1 of the first object carrier element 6.1.

FIG. 4 shows the second work step. The control unit 15 activates theactuation unit 11 such that the dog elements 10 assigned to the first,second and third object carrier elements 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 are active andthe retaining elements 14 assigned to said object carrier elements areinactive, while the dog element 10 assigned to the fourth object carrierelement 6.4 is inactive and the retaining element 14 assigned to saidobject carrier element is active. As a result, the first, second andthird object carrier elements 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 are carried along when theobject carrier 3 turns clockwise, and the fourth object carrier element6.4 is held in place. After the object carrier 3 has turned through apredetermined angle of rotation (14.4°), the waiting area WZ upstream ofthe long process contains just one bag blank, and the waiting area WZdownstream of the long process is occupied by four filled bags. The workstation B fits a connection piece to the filled bag located in the firstreceiving element 7.1 of the third object carrier element 6.3. The workstation C removes the finished bag that is located in the thirdreceiving element 7.3 of the second object carrier element 6.2 and hasbeen provided with the connection piece and filled with the solution,and the work station D places a bag blank in the second receivingelement 7.2 of the first object carrier element 6.1.

In the third work step (FIG. 5), the control unit 15 reactivates theactuation unit 11 such that the first, second and third object carrierelements 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 are carried along and the fourth object carrierelement 6.4 is held in place. The object carrier 3 turns again through apredetermined angle of rotation (14.4°). After the object carrier 3 hasturned, the waiting area WZ upstream of the long process contains twobag blanks, and the waiting area downstream of the long process isoccupied by three filled bags. The work station B now fits a connectionpiece to the filled bag located in the second receiving element 7.2 ofthe third object carrier element 6.3. The work station C removes thefinished bag from the fourth receiving element 7.4 of the second objectcarrier element 6.2 and the work station D puts a bag blank in the thirdreceiving element 7.3 of the first object carrier element 6.1.

In the fourth work step (FIG. 6), the first, second and third objectcarrier elements 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 are once again carried along, while thefourth object carrier element 6.4 is held in place. After the objectcarrier has turned through the predetermined angle of rotation (14.4°),the waiting area WZ upstream of the long process contains three bagblanks, and the waiting area WZ downstream of the long process isoccupied by two filled bags. The work station B fits a connection pieceto the filled bag located in the third receiving element 7.3 of thethird object carrier element 6.3. The work station C removes thefinished bag from the fifth receiving element 7.5 of the second objectcarrier element 6.2, and the work station D puts a bag blank in thefourth receiving element 7.4 of the first object carrier element 6.1.

In the fifth work step (FIG. 7), the first, second and third objectcarrier elements 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 are carried along, while the fourthobject carrier element 6.4 is held in place. After the object carrier 3has turned through the predetermined angle of rotation (14.4°), thewaiting area WZ upstream of the long process contains four bag blanks,and the waiting area WZ downstream of the long process is occupied byone filled bag. The connection piece is fitted to the filled bag locatedin the fourth receiving element 7.4 of the third object carrier element6.3, the finished bag located in the first receiving element 7.1 of thethird object carrier element 6.3 is removed, and a bag blank is put inthe fifth receiving element 7.5 of the first object carrier element 6.1.

Next comes the sixth work step, which includes a small cycle (FIG. 8) inwhich the object carrier rotates through an angle of rotation of 14.4°,and a large cycle (FIG. 9) in which the object carrier 3 rotates throughan angle of rotation of 72° (5*14.4°=72°). In the small cycle, thefirst, second and third object carrier elements 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 arecarried along, and the fourth object carrier element 6.4 is held inplace. After the object carrier has rotated through 14.4° (small cycle),the waiting area WZ upstream of the long process is full and the waitingarea WZ downstream of the long process is empty. A connection piece isfitted to the filled bag located in the fifth receiving element 7.5 ofthe third object carrier element 6.3, the finished bag is removed fromthe second receiving element 7.2 of the third object carrier element6.1, and a bag blank is put in the first receiving element 7.1 of thesecond object carrier element 6.2.

In the large cycle (FIG. 9) of the sixth work step following the smallcycle, the control unit 15 activates the actuation unit 11 such that thefirst and fourth object carrier elements 6.1, 6.4 are carried along andthe second and third object carrier elements 6.2, 6.3 are held in place.In the large cycle, the object carrier 3 turns through 72°(5*14.4°=72°). After the object carrier 3 has turned, the waiting areaWZ upstream of the long process is empty and the waiting area WZdownstream of the long process is full, and so the first work step (FIG.3) can come next again.

In the sixth work step, the sum of the cycle time of the small cyclet_(TK) and the cycle time of the long cycle t_(TL) is smaller than theoverall process time of the short cycle t_(GK) (t_(TK)+t_(TL)<t_(GK)).

The above-described process corresponds to a five-fold paralleloperation of the longest process.

When designing the production facility, the following laws arise:

t_(PK) process time of the short process

t_(PL) process time of the long process

t_(TK) cycle time of the short cycle

t_(TL) cycle time of the long cycle

t_(GK) overall process time of the short cycle

t_(GL) overall process time of the long cycle

S scaling actuator

WZ waiting area

A_(OTE) number of object carrier elements

A_(WZ) number of waiting areas

LP process having the long process time

KP process having the short process time

Overall process time of the short cycle:t _(GK) =t _(PK) +t _(TK)

The short and long cycles must be within the cycle time of the shortcycle:t _(TK) +t _(TL) <t _(GK).

Overall process time of the long cycle:t _(GL) =t _(PL) +t _(TLK)

Calculation of the necessary multiplication of the longest processingstep:t _(GL) /t _(GK) =S

Depending on which facility part is set to be the bottleneck of theoverall system, S has to be rounded up or down.

The number of coupled object carriers per segment:S*object carrier=object carrier element

Number of object carrier elements per system:A _(OTE)≥2(1×short process, 1×long process)

Number of WZ per system: A_(WZ)≥2 (WZ necessary per change from shortprocess to long process, WZ necessary per change from long process toshort process)

In the following, the transport device according to the invention isdescribed with reference to FIGS. 10 to 13. The corresponding parts areprovided with the same reference signs. The described embodiment of thetransport device according to the invention differs from the transportdevice according to FIGS. 1 to 10 in that additional actuator units areprovided that are assigned to the object carrier elements and suppliedwith media from a central supply device. The actuator units are suppliedwith media by means of a rotary feedthrough that is provided in thetransport device according to FIGS. 1 to 9. The rotary feedthrough isdenoted in FIG. 10 by the reference sign A.

Furthermore, the described embodiment of the transport device accordingto the invention differs from the transport device according to FIGS. 1to 9 by the actuation unit for actuating the actuation members for theretaining elements and the dog elements. All of the actuation members ofthe retaining elements and the dog elements are located on the objectcarrier elements. The retaining elements and dog elements are pins inthe present embodiment. The object carrier elements 6 each comprise afirst actuation member 12.1 which actuates a pin-like dog element 15.110 (in FIG. 10) that can be pulled forward or backward into a recess16.1 of the object carrier 3, so that the object carrier element 6.1 iscarried along or released by the object carrier 3. Furthermore, theobject carrier elements 6 have a second actuation member 12.2 whichactuates a pin-like retaining element 15.2 that can be pulled forward orbackward into a recess 16.2 of a stationary component 17, so that theobject carrier element 6.2 is locked or released on the stationarycomponent 17. Actuation members which are assigned to stationarycomponents are therefore not present in this embodiment. Such actuationmembers are also understood as actuator units within the meaning of theinvention.

Some or all of the object carrier elements 6 are assigned additionalactuator units 18.1, 18.2 (also referred to as second actuator units)which move together with the object carrier elements. Said actuatorunits 18.1, 18.2 can be used for actuating additional devices whichinfluence the objects or are used to control the process. Said devices,which can have different functions, are not shown in the figures.Devices can also be provided on the object carrier elements 6 which aresupplied with particular resources, which can be provided by the rotaryfeedthrough.

The actuation members 12 (first actuator units) or the second actuatorunits 18.1, 18.2 are supplied with media by means of the rotaryfeedthrough A according to the invention. If the actuator units(actuation members) comprise pneumatic drive devices they are suppliedwith compressed air. Electric or electromagnetic drive devices aresupplied with electric power.

The rotary feedthrough according to the invention comprises a stationarycomponent 19 which can penetrate the object carrier 3 in the centre. Thestationary component 19 comprises at least one media input 20. In thepresent embodiment, a plurality of media inputs 20.1, 20.2, 20.3 isprovided, which are only indicated in FIG. 10, by means of whichdifferent media can be provided, including compressed air for actuatingthe drive devices of the actuator units.

The transport device also comprises a central supply device 21 which hasone or more supply lines 22.1, 22. 2, 22.3, for example hose lines orelectrical lines, which are connected to the one or more media inputs20.1, 20.2, 20.3 of the rotary feedthrough. The supply lines are onlyindicated in FIG. 10.

Furthermore, the rotary feedthrough comprises a plurality of components24.1, 24.2, 24.3, 24.4 which are rotatable independently of one anotherabout a common central axis 23 relative to the stationary component 19.The rotary components 24.1, 24.2, 24.3, 24.4 are arranged one above theother. In the present embodiment, one rotary component 24.1, 24.2, 24.3,24.4 is assigned to each object carrier element 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4. InFIG. 10, only two of the four object carrier elements 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4are shown. Therefore, four rotary components are provided. The rotarycomponents 24.1, 24.2, 24.3, 24.4 each comprise one or more mediaoutputs 25.1, 25.2.

In the present embodiment, the rotary components have a plurality ofmedia outputs. Only two media outputs 25.1, 25.2 are shown in FIG. 10,to which flexible connection lines 26.1, 26.2 are connected which leadto the actuation member 12.1 of the dog element 10 or to the actuationmember 12.2 of the retaining element 14. The connection lines 26.1, 26.2are only indicated in FIG. 10. Further media outputs (not shown) areconnected by means of further connection lines (not shown) to furtheractuator units 18.1, 18.2 provided on an object carrier element 6.1,6.2.

The rotary components 24.1, 24.2, 24.3, 24.4 are rigidly connected tothe associated object carrier element 6.1, 6.2. For this purpose, acoupling element 27.1, 27.2 is assigned to each rotary component. FIG.10 shows only the coupling elements of the object carrier elements 6.1,6.2. The coupling element can be rod or linkage. If the object carrierelement 6.1, 6.2 is carried along by the object carrier 3, the rotarycomponent 24.1, 24.2, 24.3, 24.4 rotates together with the objectcarrier element relative to the stationary component 19 of the rotaryfeedthrough about the central axis 23 of the transport device.

FIG. 11 shows a part of the rotary feedthrough in an enlarged view. Thestationary component 19 is a cylindrical body and the rotary components24.1, 24.2, 24.3, 24.4 are annular bodies which surround the stationarycomponent 19. In the stationary component 19, axial channels 29.1, 29.2are formed, to which the radial bores 29.1, 29.2 connect. The radialbores 29.1, 29.2 are sealed off from annular gaps 30.1, 30.2 which areformed in the rotary component. The sealing is achieved by rotary orsliding seals (not shown). In the present embodiment, the rotarycomponent 24.1, 24.2, 24.3, 24.4 comprises two media outputs 25.1, 25.2to which the two axial channels 30.1, 30.2 lead. The axial channels canalso lead to media outputs of one or more other rotary components.

FIG. 12 shows a part of the rotary feedthrough in an enlarged view forsupplying an electric or electromagnetic actuator unit (actuationmember) with power. In the stationary component 19, electrical lines31.1, 31.2 are provided which lead to sliding contacts 32.1, 32.2 whichslide annular contacts 33.1, 33.2 provided in one or more rotarycomponent 24.1, 24.2, 24.3, 24.4. In the present embodiment, twoelectric connections 34.1, 34.2, to which electric lines (not shown) canbe connected, are provided on the rotary component 24.1, 24.2, 24.3,24.4.

The use of the rotary feedthrough according to the invention comprisingfurther actuator units is not restricted to the embodiment of thetransport device according to FIGS. 10 to 13. The embodiment describedwith reference to FIGS. 1 to 9 can also comprise the rotary feedthroughcomprising further actuator units.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 10 to 13, the rotary feedthrough isparticularly advantageous, as the actuation of the dog elements and theretaining elements does not require stationary machine technology, whichmakes the rotary feedthrough possible in the first place. The actuationunit for the dog elements and the retaining elements can be provided onthe object carrier element. Both actuation members 12.1, 12.2 for thedog element 10 or retaining element 14, which are actuator units withinthe meaning of the invention, can be supplied with medium, for examplecompressed air, independently of one another and thus can be actuatedindependently of one another. However, in order to control the objectcarrier element 6.1, 6.2, a positive coupling of the two actuationmembers 12.1, 12.2 can also be provided such that the actuation memberof the dog element is actuated when the actuation member of theretaining element is not actuated or vice versa, and therefore theassociated object carrier element is either released or locked. If sucha positive coupling of the actuation members is provided, two separatemedia lines, for example compressed air lines, are not necessary forsupplying the actuation members. Rather, a single compressed air supplyis sufficient. The changeover can be performed only in that compressedair is applied or is not applied to a media output.

One of the actuator units that is supplied with a medium by means of therotary feedthrough can for example be a clamping device comprisingclamping jaws for clamping a part of a container or of an associatedhose line. The container can be a bag for receiving a medical solution.

FIG. 13 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the clamping device, bymeans of which a bag can be sealed during the process. The clampingdevice 18.2, which is arranged on an object carrier element 6, forexample on the object carrier element 6.2, comprises two clamping jaws35 which are resiliently pre-loaded in a clamping position by means ofpressure springs 36. The clamping jaws 35 are opened by means of apneumatic drive device 37 that is actuated by compressed air that isprovided to the drive device by the central supply device 21 via therotary feedthrough A. If compressed air is applied, the clamping deviceis opened. The clamping device 18.2 that rotates together with theobject carrier element 6.2 does not require stationary machinetechnology that engages with suitable actuators from the outside.External stations can therefore be omitted, meaning that theaccessibility of the production facility is also improved. In addition,the cycle time can be reduced.

The invention claimed is:
 1. Transport device for transporting objectsfrom work station to work station of a production facility, comprisingan object carrier, on which a plurality of object carrier elements forplacing down one or more objects are arranged, the object carrier beingrotatable about its central axis in successive cycles, and the objectcarrier elements being able to be transported from work station to workstation on a circular movement path, and a drive unit for driving theobject carrier, wherein at least one object carrier element of theplurality of object carrier elements is arranged on the object carrierso as to be displaceable relative to the object carrier in the directionof the movement path on which the object carrier elements can betransported from work station to work station, the at least one objectcarrier element is assigned at least one dog element which can movebetween an active state, in which relative movement between the at leastone object carrier element and object carrier is prevented, and aninactive state, in which relative movement between the at least oneobject carrier element and object carrier is permitted, the at least oneobject carrier element is assigned at least one stationary retainingelement that can move between an active state, in which the objectcarrier element is held in place, and an inactive state, in which the atleast one object carrier element is released, a first actuator unit thatactuates the at least one dog element and the at least one stationaryretaining element and a control unit for the first actuator unit areprovided, the control unit is configured such that, in some cycles ofthe successive cycles, the at least one dog element assumes an activestate and the at least one retaining element assumes an inactive statesuch that the at least one object carrier element is carried along bythe object carrier and moved from work station to work station, and, insome cycles of the successive cycles, the at least one dog elementassumes an inactive state and the at least one retaining element assumesan active state such that the at least one object carrier elementremains at a work station, and one or more second actuator units arearranged on the at least one object carrier element or on the pluralityof object carrier elements, which units can move together with the atleast one object carrier element or the plurality of object carrierelements.
 2. Transport device according to claim 1, wherein thetransport device comprises a stationary supply device for supplying theone or more second actuator units with one or more media, amedia-provision device is provided and configured such that the supplydevice provides one or more media to the one or more second actuatorunits.
 3. Transport device according to claim 2, wherein themedia-provision device is a rotary feedthrough.
 4. Transport deviceaccording to claim 3, wherein the rotary feedthrough comprises astationary component having one or more media inputs for providing oneor more media to supply the one or more second actuator units, and aplurality of rotary components which are rotatable independently of oneanother about a common central axis relative to the stationary componentand each have one or more media outputs, the stationary component andthe rotary components are configured such that a media connection isformed between a media input of the stationary component and a mediaoutput of one of the rotary components, or a plurality of media inputsof the stationary component and a plurality of media outputs of therotary components.
 5. Transport device according to claim 4, whereineach of said plurality of rotary components comprises a coupling elementby means of which each of said plurality of rotary components is coupledto the object carrier element.
 6. Transport device according to claim 4,wherein the stationary component is a cylindrical body and the rotarycomponents are bodies that surround the stationary component, the rotarycomponents being arranged one above the other so as to be rotatableabout the central axis of the stationary component.
 7. Transport deviceaccording to claim 4, wherein the rotary feedthrough is arranged suchthat the stationary component is arranged centrally on the objectcarrier or penetrates the object carrier in the centre, the rotarycomponents being arranged at the same level or deeper or higher inrelation to the object carrier elements.
 8. Transport device accordingto claim 4, wherein the rotary components comprise one or more mediaoutputs, the one or more second actuator units being connected to one ormore media outputs of said rotary components by means of connectionlines in order to provide one or more media.
 9. Transport deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the object carrier comprises a circularguide path in which the at least one object carrier element is guided ina freely movable manner.
 10. Transport device according to claim 1,wherein the at least one dog element is configured such that aninterlocking and/or frictional connection can be established between apart of the at least one object carrier element and a part of the objectcarrier, and/or the at least one retaining element is configured suchthat an interlocking and/or frictional connection can be establishedbetween a part of the object carrier element and a stationary part. 11.Transport device according to claim 1, wherein said one or more actuatorunits is a clamping device that comprises clamping jaws for clamping apart of a container.
 12. Transport device according to claim 11, whereinthe clamping device comprises a pneumatic drive device for actuating theclamping jaws.
 13. Production facility for producing products,comprising a transport device for transporting objects according toclaim 1, wherein a plurality of work stations is provided, each workstation is configured to carry out at least one work process, whichincludes at least one work step, on at least one product arranged on theobject carrier element.
 14. Method for transporting objects from workstation to work station of a production facility, comprising thefollowing method steps: arranging a plurality of object carrier elementsfor placing down one or more objects on a rotary object carrier,rotating the object carrier in successive cycles in such a way that theobject carrier elements are transported on a circular movement path fromwork station to work station, wherein at least one object carrierelement of the plurality of object carrier elements is arranged on theobject carrier so as to be displaceable relative to the object carrierin the direction of the circular movement path, in some cycles of thesuccessive cycles, relative movement between the at least one objectcarrier element and the object carrier is prevented such that the atleast one object carrier element is carried along by the object carrierand moved from work station to work station, and in some cycles of thesuccessive cycles, relative movement between the at least one objectcarrier element and the object carrier is permitted and the at least oneobject carrier is held in place such that the at least one carrierelement remains at a work station, actuating one or more object carrierelements or one or more actuator units that are assigned to theplurality of object carrier elements and that can move together with theobject carrier elements, and supplying one or more actuator units withone or more media.
 15. Method according to claim 14, wherein astationary supply device supplies the one or more media to the one ormore actuator units by means of a rotary feedthrough.